15 issues soccer followers would do in the event that they may very well be proprietor of their membership for a day
A survey of 2,000 football fans found that the majority would make a range of changes at their club if they were owner for a day, with one in five wanting to make a stand with their name on it
Football fanatics have revealed their dreams of being club owners for a day, naming a stand after themselves or erecting a statue of their favourite player at the stadium. A survey of 2,000 footie fans has unveiled the top actions they’d take if they had the power to call the shots.
These decisions would include slashing ticket prices, investing more in youth academies, and implementing eco-friendly upgrades like fitting solar panels on the stadium roof. Other popular choices were handing out free tickets to those who can’t afford them, capping player wages, and organising more meet-and-greets between players and fans.
Chris Houghton, CEO of egg, which sponsored the study, said: “We’ve loved hearing what fans would do if they were club owners for a day. Football plays such a big part in many of our lives, so it’s no wonder there is so much passion and inspiring ideas about what would make the nation’s favourite teams even better.”
While owning a club may be a distant dream, the research discovered that 48% of fans would like to have more input in how their club is managed. Fan-focused advisory boards were suggested as a way to boost supporter involvement with a whopping 78% believing more clubs could benefit from this.
For a start, almost three in 10 believe their club could be smarter with its spending, citing player transfers, team kits, and marketing as areas where they think their club splashes too much cash.
Fans are keen to see increased investments in local community initiatives (41%), stadium upgrades (34%), and mental health and wellbeing services (33%). A quarter of respondents also believe a significant portion of the funds should be channelled into green initiatives.
Seven in 10 said they are unaware of any environmental initiatives that currently happen at their club, but believe that sustainability is crucial in football and should be prioritised.
This shift towards appreciating eco-friendly policies is mirrored in fans’ attitudes towards sponsorships, with 47% stating they would be displeased if their clubs partnered with a fossil fuel company. If clubs insist on investing in fossil fuels, 61% believe these should be counterbalanced by doing more for the environment.
Fans also want their favourite teams to address other top eco issues such as energy consumption (44%), recycling (42%), and managing their carbon footprint (38%). These sentiments were echoed in the changes fans hope to see by 2030, with 22% dreaming of solar-powered stadiums.
Chris added: “This data shows that it isn’t just the scores and wins – every aspect of the club is important to fans, including sustainability.
“As more and more of us become aware of the issues affecting the environment and take steps to be more eco-conscious, we also want to see this mindset shared by the players and teams we love so much.”
TOP 15 THINGS FOOTBALL FANS WOULD DO IF THEY COULD BE OWNER FOR A DAY:
- Reduce ticket prices
- Put more money behind youth academies
- Offer free tickets to those who can’t afford them
- Put a cap on players’ wages
- Arrange fan and player interactions
- Improve toilet facilities
- Better recycling facilities e.g. dedicated bins for paper, food waste, glass, plastic
- Make the club green with improvements like installing solar panels on the roof of the stadium
- Add live music performances at half time
- Install heated seats in the stadium
- Give more vegetarian and vegan options at the stadium
- Name a stand after myself
- Erect a statue of my favourite player
- Change the kit
- Invest in new players
